Beautifully hand painted mercury glass ornaments from the 1950s were often indented in order to reflect light. The result is a sparkle that’s impossible to replicate with the plastic or fabric ornaments that are popular today. Image courtesy of Lost Property Vintage

Another tree-trend from the 1950s were these amazing diorama ornaments — glass or plastic bulbs with tiny detailed scenes inside — sometimes biblical but often just whimsical. Today these vintage finds are quite rare and very collectible. Image courtesy of Vintage Junk In My Trunk

Another wonderful and collectible ornament-style popular in this era are tiny hand-carved wooden figurines. All the classic Christmas characters are represented, from Santa himself to the little drummer boy and all kinds of tiny toys such as cats, jack-in-the-box and bears. Image courtesy of Shop with Pippa

Now that you’re up to speed on the vintage must-have ornaments, it’s time to think about the tree! Faux was fab in the nifty fifties and sixties where trees were commonly made from aluminum and it was beyond stylish to have one in pure pink! Image courtesy of Making It Lovely

Coming out of WWII, the mid-century-minded folks were not about to take themselves too seriously. The holidays were a time to be jovial and so fun and frivolous decorations were all the rage — everything from salt and pepper to sweaters became symbols of holiday cheer. Image courtesy of Etagere Antiques, Vintage Collectibles

Today it’s all the rage to hunt down the ugliest Christmas sweater and don it ironically for the office holiday party. But in the ‘50s and ‘60s these babies were the real deal, worn proudly throughout the season without the slightest hint of hipster irony. Image courtesy of Rusty Zipper Vintage Clothing

While Santa is certainly still the big man at Christmas in the eyes of our little ones, we’ve toned down the use of his jolly self in our holiday decorating. In the ‘50s and ‘60s this guy was displayed proudly everywhere — figurines, tree-toppers, dishware and clothing. Image courtesy of Christmas Nostalgia

If you have a Scandinavian background, chances are you grew up with one of these around the house. Now a coveted vintage collectable, hand-carved Dala Horses, especially those by Swedish designer Nils Olsson, remain an mid-century modern icon to this day — both as a holiday decoration and year round.

Christmas crackers are a well-loved tradition. In the 1950s crackers were wrapped in colourful fabric and packaged in gorgeously illustrated boxes — inside you could expect anything from playing cards to a silver thimble. Image courtesy of Lost Property Vintage

Top off your vintage celebration with the most festive dessert around - the buche de noel, or Christmas yule log. Especially popular in Quebec, this chocolate slathered rolled sponge cake is adorned with over-the-top decorations that are usually forest-themed. We bet you can’t serve guests this throwback sweet treat without a smile!

Title

Author

marinacm

Created date

November 23, 2015

Body

By Mia Rodak

Picture this — Elvis is crooning away on the radio, a fabulous pink tree dripping with glass baubles sparkles by the hearth. Family and friends are gathered together playing games and singing carols, unabashedly and unironically sporting festive Christmas sweaters. Make you feel nostalgic for Christmases past? Refined elegance is the predominant trend in holiday decor and entertaining today, and while classy and beautiful it can also feel a little lacking in festive fun. Here are 10 very vintage ways to put the joy back in joyeux noel.